Adjustable flange for pipe lines



Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,511`

c. BELCHER ADJUSTABLE FLANGE FOR PIPE LINES Original Filed Jan. 3l. 1923 Patented Feb; 16, 1926.

U'Nren sr jre-s eLAUnE BELCHER,

PATENT O3;T1 DES IEONES, IOW'A, ASSI'GNORJOF FORTYNINE 'IVER CENT'TO FRANK JQDOUGLAS, 0F DES MOINES, IOWA,

ADJUSTABLE FLANGE ron kPIPE LINES;

Applcationiled January 31, Serial No'. 616,000. Renewed lI Ianuary 11,'1926 vide for a pipe line an adjustable flangev structure of' simple, construction. A

A further objectof inyy invention' is to provide such a devicehaving parts so oon-A durable and inexpensive structed and arranged as to'lgreatly reduceV the time and labor necessary'for installation over other structures and `methods, which have been used heretofore.

A further object is to provide such a flange, whlch will reduce the .strain on the parts, due to contraction and expansion .and

thus reduce the likelihood' of b'reakin'gforA f afterinore fully'c lescribed,l should b 'realior bending the parts. y l,Vith these and other objectsin 'vi v1,Y`

invention consistsinftheconstruction, arfrangement and combination of the variousY parts of iny device, whereby the objects conteniplated are attained, as-hereinafter'more fully set forth, pointed out in riny-r'olairns, and .illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich: A

Figure 1 shows a top orplanv view ol an Vinstalled flange en'ibodying iny invention. Figure 2 shows aside elevation ofthe samerY j Figure 3 shows a vertical, central, sectional view through the structure.

Figure e shows a horizontal,sectional view taken on thelinelfl of Figure Figure shows "a side elevation partly vertical section of` anotherfforin in which niy. invention maybe embodied.

Figure 6- shows Va viewA taken on the line 6-6 of 'Figure 5'.

. Figure? shows avplan viewparts being broken away of fpartof *the structure; and

Figure 8 shows a detailed, sectional viewQ generally what may call a flangeA i'oran` adjustableI pipe. The flange or base portion l()v has awtubular extension or hub '11,

horizontal, Asectional i v'It will be understood thatl'av passage 12 extends entirely through the flange 107and the hub 11.

The flange' lO'fhas suitable holes 131011 receiving fastening bolts. On the outsidefof the tubular extension or hub 11 are oppo`site-A ly extending ears or lugs 14, provided with screw-threaded holes 15 extending throughv .the1n.` The holes 15 are arranged with righti lhand screw-threads vfor the purpose which will'be hereafter more fully explained.' l l On t-liejinsicle ofthe tubular Xtenslon or vhub v11 spaced from theyends "thereof isvan annular packing rest' 1 7; The' extensionor hub 11 isY designed to receive the end of a' maohinelstealn -pipe 18,y which' on its end received within the' hub 11 has an annular flange 19', which is a ysafety devicelfor pre.

oase the tension'rocls, ywhich, will be herein#v otherwise beconie accidentally released,

drawal of the Resting on the. packing", rest 17 and Tsur-v e 'rounding lthe pipe 18 are ysuitable rings .of packing 20.6` The packingl 2O is heldin place 'by 'a 'stuffing' gland 21,which is secured in vposition bynieans ofv stud bolts 22 and nuts ,23thereo n.' y vThe hub 11 hasy on' opposite sides the exitensions21l to receive the stud'bolts 22, as illustrated in Figure 2. f

The outer end'k of the pipe 18 is reduced for' a portion'of its length downto eXtra- .heavy and is screw-threaded as at 25.

It will .be notedthatat the lower end of 'the screwithreads is an annular shoulder '26.*`

Screwed onto the threads 25'is a threaded Vcollar V27, havingopposite'- wingsj2'8, which Y areprovided with lefthand Soren-threads 2,9. Abovethe 'collar 27' is a lock nut 3.0.

I provide two tension rods for y,adjustably connecting the 'pipe 18 with the fia-ngev Screwedinto the' holes in A the ears' 14.ar'etension rodsS'l, having on their` upper-ends 'hea-d sjf32'forinecl'with recesses 33' to receive 'the lower half of bolts 34 `oni-the lower end ofthe upper tension rods 35.? i i A a nieansof studbolts S7, and is so shaped as to retain .the bolt/34:. in place,'but yt0 permit herein described, it is much easier to install the pipe 18, because that pipe may be installed, even if it is a, little out oli' true alignment with the passage 12 and the flange 10 and the hub 11.

The ball and socket connection between the tension rods and 31 allows enough i lateral play et the pipe 18 with relation 'to the flange to greatly facilitate the assembling of the parts, and also to greatly reduce the strain on the parts after they have been installed in position.

lt will be obvious that by applying wrenches to the port-ions 38, the tension rods may be adjusted for adjusting the pipe 18 longitudinally with relation to the flange 10. In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, I have shown a slightly different form of my invention.

The flange Ll() has the upwardly extending tubular hub or extension 41. Extending through the :flange 4f() and the hub L.l1 is a passage l2. On the inside of the hub i-1 is a packing rest A18, similar in construction to the packing rest 17.

lhe pipe 11, similar in general construel tion to the pipe 18, has one end received in the hub 4:1. @n the inner end ot the pipe #tl is a tlange 15. Resting on the packing rest 13 are rings ot packing 46, which are held in position by means ot a stutling `gland L17, which is similar in construction and method of mounting` on the huh all. to the slu'tliug gland 21.A

IThe pipe t has the shoulder 48 similar to the shoulder 26, and the screw-threads 49 similar to the screw-threads 25. Screwed onto the threads 49 is a collar 50, having opposite laterally extending wings 51, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 7.

' The wings 51 are wider than the wings 28 in order to furnish a proper seat for the spring reception cups 52, hereinafter re terred to.

The outer 'ends ot the wings 51 have 'formed therein recesses 53 and screwthreaded holes 54 to receive a screw-tlueaded bolt 55. 'The bolts 55 areextended through the member 56, which has arms 57, projecting into the recesses 53.

Between the arms 57 is a recess 58 to form a guide Jfor the automatic extension sleeve 59.

\In the flange 451) are recesses 60 to receive the heads 61 oit a square guide rod G2, which extends through the opening 58 and substantially beyond, as shown in Figure 5.

The length ot' the rod 62 is substantially the same on both sides ot' the wing 51. The head 61 is held in place by a bearing plate 68 on which rests a reception cup Gel. The reception cup Gel comprises an annular disc with an annular' peripheral rib 65. A coil spring' 66 has one end secured to the reception cup G4 by means oit clamps 67, which are fastened in place by means oit small screws 68. v y

Formed on the reception cup 611 and re'- ceiving the rod 62 is a square sleeve 69. The sleeve G9 receives and tits the guide rod 62 and projects above the wing 51.

0n the outer end ot the guide rod G2 is a nut 70, which may be a castellated nut and locked in position by means ot a cotter pin 71, extended through a suitable hole in the rod 62.

Adjacent to the nut 70 and threaded onto the screw-throated end of the rod 62, which receives the nut 7 0 is a hearing plate 72. Adjacent to the bearing plate 72 is a reception cup 73, similar in construction to 'the reception cup 64.

Formed on the reception cup 73 is the sleeve 59, which projects through the opening 58 and telescopically receives the end et the sleeve 69, as shown in Figure 5.

It will be understood that between the end ot the sleeve 69 and the reception cup 78. there is a space 7i between the ,sleeve 5f) and the rod'62. The square hole in the reception cup 73, however. which receives the rod (S2, is laced to snugljY lit the rod, as shown in the drawing.

Secured to the reception cup 78 is a spring 75, which is fastened lo the reception cup 73S in the saine way that the spring 62 is secured to the cup Get. One end of the spring for instance is received in a spring track 7G in the reception cup (511, and the extreme end ol the spring 66 is bent, as at 77 and received in the hole 78 in the reception cup 64.

Above the wing 51 is a recept-ion cup 52 ol slightly different -form than that ofthe cups 64 and 73.

The reception cups 52 are made in two halves separated along a transverse, central line, which is arranged lengthwise o1 the wing 51, as shown tor instance in Figure 6, so that the joint between the halves ot the reception cup 52 is arranged at right angles to the "joint between the wing 51 and the member 56 for giving the parts greater strength.

Each half of the reception cup 52 has a bolt 79, whereby itis secured to the wing 51, and a screw bolt 80, whereby it is secured to the member 56.

The end of the spring 66 is secured to one of the reception cups 52, by means ot' clamps lllli llO 67, already described, and similarly the end of the spring 75 is secured to the other reception cup 52.

It will be understood that the tension device just described is duplicated on the opposite side oi thev pipe 44. j

It will be seen that the reception cups 52 and the springs 66 and '75 are fixed to the wings 51. Thus, if great pressure should be exerted on the pipe 44 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5,1the pipe 44 could give a little in that direction.

The spring T5 would be compressed and the spring 66 and the cup 64 might move away from the bearing plate 63. When the pressure on the pipe 44 is relieved, the tension of the spring 75 will return the parts to normal.

Similarly, if pressure should be imposed on the pipe 44 for moving it in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow in Figure 5, the pipe could move in that direction, compressing the springs 66, but when the undue l'pressure on the pipe44 should be removed, the springs would again return the parts to their normal position..-

It will be observed from the description of the device now under consideration that contract-ion and expansion, which might move the pipe 44 inV either direction lengthwise, will'be automatically compensatedor taken care of by means of the springs andv vthe method of mounting the pipe 44 oni theV iiange 40.

The device shown in Figures 5 to 8 in-` clusive has the advantage of kbeing easily installed. in addition to the advantage of Y automatic compensation Ajust mentioned.

A device of this kind does away with the necessity for usingbig U-jointson large header pipes and pump lines. The strain on the parts is minimized by the auton* matically compensating device herein described, and thus the likelihood of breakage is reduced, and the wear on the parts is reduced with a consequent saving in eX- pense. f

Some changes may be made inthe yconstruction and arrangement of the various parts of my device, without departing from the essential features and purposes of myV invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure,

on said rods between said arms and saidv ianges and between said arms land retaining flangesA secured to the ends of said rods.

2.7111 a device of the class described, a flange having a tubular extensionor hub., a pipe of smaller diameter than the opening in said extension, having one end received therein, an'Y annular packing received in said extension, thereby forming a packing connection between the pipe andthe extension, projecting members on thepipe, rods fixes to'said flange and projecting through'the eX- tensions on the pipe, telescoping sleeves mountedr on said rods, sleeve retaining devices on the rods, andsprings on said sleeves above and below the extensions. y

VDes Moines, Iowa, January 24, 1923. j f 1 CLAUDE BELCHER. 

